


Honeysuckle and Ivy

by Thighz



Series: Flower Pairs Trilogy [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Best Friends, Blow Jobs, But Jack doesn't know it yet, Dirty Talk, Explicit Sexual Content, Friends to Lovers, Hand Jobs, Heartache, Jealousy, M/M, Mutual Pining, Overstimulation, Pancakes, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-06-01 02:52:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15133505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thighz/pseuds/Thighz
Summary: He knows better than to think of Gabriel in such a manner. They’re friends for christs sake. Good friends, best friends. He doesn’t need to distract himself with wanting Gabriel to smile at him like that and run his fingers through Jack’s hair or press him into Jack’s sleep number mattress and show him exactly what all the fuss was about when they were in high school.The one where JackandGabriel own a flower shop.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The second flowershop AU that no one asked for.
> 
> I've been pretty MIA lately. Life's been rough, but this came to me today and I needed to write something wholly sappy and mine in every way.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _Enjoy_

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack arrives as he always does, at six am sharp. The sun has allowed a pink slip of color across the horizon and the streets are still dark. He can see the shop, even in the evolving sunlight, its sign simple and elegant.

The double glass windows are filled to the brim with decorative pots of greenery and blossoming bell flowers. Creeping vines edge up the brick on either side, curling around the bottom edges of the sign.

He pulls a set of keys from his jogging shorts, patiently sorting through them until he finds the dark green one. The door is inset between the windows, decorative glass and the shops name in shiny green letters. A hanging letter board rests beneath the name, showing off their working hours and holidays.

Jack unlocks the door and steps inside, bell jingling in the quiet space. He inhales the sharp scent of plants and soil, heart rate settling from his morning run.

The shop looks the same as how they left it. Layered shelves of various trees, plants, and flowering vines on multi-sectioned trellises. He spots a fair few that will need to be perked up or thrown away, but he can deal with that later.

He flips the lock back, pauses near an old radio on the long front counter and twists the dial. Crooning jazz fills the space as he sets the keys beside the cash register and grabs a stack of invoices from a metal sorter.

He dips through a beaded curtain of purple wisteria and sets the invoices on the edge of a wooden table. It’s still covered in black dirt from his last order of the day, a trowel rests on the right hand side and a bag of soil rests beside one of the legs.

Jack picks up the first invoice and clicks his tongue at the order of 26 succulent table centers. Not an unusual order these days. Everyone wants succulents. Easy to care for and hard to kill, especially if you want green in your home and you’re a busy bee.

The music curls through the air as he tugs his gardening gloves on and starts gathering ceramic pots.

The shop doesn’t open till nine, so he has plenty of time to knock some of the bigger orders out before Hana and Brigitte arrive.

Jack gets so lost in the ease of potting and planting and setting the rocky beds, that he doesn’t hear the back door open.

He does, however, smell the familiar sweet smoke of Gabriel’s cologne before he actually sees him.

“You’re still in your running gear.” Gabe chuckles, the skin of his arm warm as he slides up beside Jack.

Jack looks over at him, “Is it time to open?”

Gabe glances down at his wrist watch, sleeves of a purple button up rolled to his elbows. One arm is tattooed with skulls and vines and flowering thorns, the other is bare. He’s gotten his hair and beard trimmed between yesterday evening and this morning.

“Got another thirty minutes. Go change. I’ll take over.” He elbows Jack out of the way and Jack laughs, peeling the gloves off of his hands.

Gabe takes them from him and slips them over his fingers, wiggling the dirt covered fabric in Jack’s direction.

Jack shakes his head and ducks into another side room. It’s a small break kitchen, pale blue and beige. Another door leads to a bathroom. He slips inside and starts the shower up, then digs through an oak cabinet for his spare clothes.

It’s past opening time when he gets back to the preparation room and Gabriel isn’t there. The orders are lined neatly on the pick up self, an invoice attached to each.

Jack parts the curtain and spots Gabriel leaning over the front counter, a woman on the other side ticking off her fingers as she explains her order to him.

Jack smiles, easy and slow.

When he had gone to Gabriel with his idea of opening a greenery shop, he’d expected his best friend to laugh him down the road and back again. His parents had given him skeptical looks, mostly because they were half-hoping he would take up his father’s mantel and run the farm. (But his dad has a good many years left ahead of him and Jack likes the ease of green to the itchy bales of hay)

Gabriel, however, surprised Jack. Asking what his plans were, how he wanted to cater the business, where he wanted to be located.

All things no one asked him before, but he knew Gabe would never let him down.

25 years of friendship created that kind of trust, Jack supposes.

And after months of drawing diagrams and putting as much money as possible aside to buy a small building, here they were. A whole year later, with a booming business and a clientele list that spanned state-wide.

The woman behind the counter waves, “Good morning, Jack.”

He waves back and grabs a watering can from an industrial sink near the left side shelves, “Morning, Margaret, another dinner?”

She sighs heavily, “Yes. Business as usual.”

“Nothing we can’t handle.” Gabriel gives her that knee-weakening smile and she brightens considerably.

Jack’s own stomach twists with emotion, but he shoves it back down and sets about watering the plants and checking for defects.

He knows better than to think of Gabriel in such a manner. They’re friends for christs sake. Good friends,  _ best _ friends. He doesn’t need to distract himself with wanting Gabriel to smile at him like that and run his fingers through Jack’s hair or press him into Jack’s sleep number mattress and show him  _ exactly _ what all the fuss was about when they were in high school.

So he waters their plants to the sounds of a soft piano and listens as Gabriel totals up Margaret’s order, then answers the phone when it rings.

A few people come in and out of the store, most looking for advice on how to start trellises and others to pick up their large orders.

Hana comes in at ten thirty, headphones over her ears and hair a brighter shade of pink. She takes over at the counter and shoos Gabe and Jack to the back room to finish up the rest of the orders. Brigitte comes in through the back at one, tying her hair up as she walks. She wastes no time grabbing the ladder from the utility room and a pair of snippers.

“I’ll be out front if ya need me.” She flicks two fingers in their direction.

“I’m so glad we hired help.” Gabe says as he pulls a large blue pot across the floor.

“It was your idea.” Jack shrugs, “And it was a good one.”

“Damn right.” Gabe grins, filling half the pot with soil, “Margaret asked me for my phone number again.”

“Not surprising.” Jack smirks, “You make all the ladies swoon. Specially with that -.” He wiggles a finger around Gabe’s mouth, “Beard. Women love a man with perfect manscaping.”

Gabe laughs in a short burst, “Manscaping is around your dick.”

Jack continues to pot his plant innocently, “Is it?”

Gabe flicks a handful of dirt at him, “She’s too old for me anyway.”

Jack stares down at his little flowering cactus, “You ever going to take any of them up on their offers?”

“I did.” Gabe puts a whole tree inside his pot, then starts packing in soil around the roots, “I already have a date for the weekend.”

Jack tries to ignore the acidic feeling inside his chest, and goes for a curious tone, “Oh? Who’s the lucky one?”

Gabe pats at the top layer of dirt, “That blonde dude from last friday? Lucas.” He puts his hands on his hips and studies the tree, “Asked me out for coffee and I went, we hit it off, so he asked me out to dinner saturday night.”

Jack swallows thickly, “You didn’t mention it.”

He can feel Gabe’s eyes on him, “I don’t need you vetting the poor guy out this early on. You’re big ass body intidmatates all of my potential dating candidates, Jack. They think you’re going to crush them.”

Oh, Jack’s thought about it, no doubt about that.

“I’m not going to stalk your weird hippie boyfriends, Gabe.” He tosses over his shoulder.

“He’s got a job.” Gabe sounds petulant.

Jack just laughs, but it sounds sour to his own ears and he hopes it sounds playful to Gabe’s, “You sleep with him yet?”

“I don’t fuck on the first date.” Gabe sniffs haughtily, “Unlike some of us.”

Jack spreads his hands wide in a shrug, “I like sex.”

He’d like sex a thousand times more of Gabe was the one giving it to him.

But that’s a lost, impossible cause. One that fluttered out the window after prom night, when Gabe kissed him, drunk as a skunk and within an inch of his life, then woke up the next morning and made Jack swear they would only be friends.

_ Just friends. Anything else will ruin us and you’re too good a thing in my life to fuck it up with sex. _

So Jack buries the burning, consuming love he has for his best friend in other men. He watches Gabe date and woo and fawn over all of these other people, while Jack fucks to forget.

“Where is he taking you?” Jack sets his cactus on the pick-up shelf, can hear Hana taking an order over the phone in the front room.

“That new italian place by the lake.” Gabe starts lifting the boxes of supplies and putting them in the utility closet.

“You hate italian food.” Jack sighs wearily.

Gabe shrugs one shoulder and grabs another box, “Look, it’s been a while and I’m kinda hoping to get laid.”

Jack frowns, chest tightening, “That mean you aren’t coming over Sunday for pancakes?”

Gabe grins salaciously, “If all goes well, I’m hoping to be eating breakfast at his place.”

Jack kinda wants to throw up.

He’s never been so glad for Hana to call him to the front of the store.

She takes one look at him and winces, “Did he tell you?” It’s whispered, “I meant to warn you.”

“Did everyone know but me?” Jack grumbles.

“I was kinda here when Gabe gave him his number.” Hana fiddles with her thumbs, “Sorry, Jack.”

“It’s fine.” Jack puts a hand on her shoulder and squeezes, “What did you need?”

  
  
  


 

-

  
  
  


 

Jack spends a whole fifteen extra minutes at the store, staring at the pancake ingredients in his cart. His knuckles are white around the handle and his stomach and heart hurt in equal measures.

He doesn’t need any of this stuff.

Gabe’s going home with Lucas whatever his name is and Jack is going to wake up sunday morning and eat a bowl of cold cereal and masturbate on his couch to thoughts of his best friend.

Because he’s pathetic.

He pays for the pancake stuff, but doesn’t go home.

He carries the plastic bags over the threshold of his shop and takes solace in the scent and comfort of his plants.

The bag of ingredients gets put in the fridge and Jack pulls up a stool at his table.

He doesn’t even bother with the gloves. The soil is cool and fragrant as he works. Around 9 the shop goes dark and he moves around to turn on the fairy lights Hana insisted they install. He washes his hands in the industrial sink and grabs a broom to sweep up the dead leaves and dirt from around the shop.

It’s cathartic, the maintenance of his little shop.

He comes here when he can’t sleep. When he can’t call Gabe to ease his anxiety.

When Gabe is the root of his turmoil.

He stares at the shop, all the green and splashes of colors, the growing vines and scattered cluttered mess of it all.

They built this together.

Gabe believed in him with no one else would.

Gabe came in every day and worked at Jack’s side and he could be doing anything else with his life. He could be anywhere else, but he  _ chose _ this.

The least Jack could do was set aside his stupid pining and allow Gabe to do something for himself, instead of always following Jack’s dreams.

He puts his elbows on the counter and his face in his hands, chest squeezing to the point of pain. 

He’s such a fucking idiot.

“Thought I’d find you here.”

Jack startles at the voice, elbow slipping and nearly bashing his nose into the countertop. He twists around fast, and sure enough, Gabe is standing in the parting of wisteria, dressed up in dark red and nice jeans and holding a grocery bag.

Jack thinks it’s his own bag from the fridge at first, but it’s not.

His throat constricts, “Date not go well?”

“It went perfectly.” Gabe replies, “He invited me to his place and kissed me at the front door, like any cliche date would do.”

_ Isn’t that what you wanted _ ? Jack thinks wildly,  _ an easy romance, an easy lay _ ?

“Doesn’t explain why you’re here.” Jack ventures carefully, eyeing Gabe in the muted white light.

Gabe holds up his grocery bag, “You seemed upset that we wouldn’t be having our usual sunday breakfast.”

Jack squeezes his eyes shut, fighting the guilt, “Gabe - you don’t have to cater to my sour moods. I can handle a little deviation from our routine.” When he opens them again, Gabe just looks determined, “If things get serious with this guy, I gotta learn that we’re not teenagers anymore. We can’t always be joined at the hip.”

“And why the fuck not?” Gabe snaps.

“Because -.” Jack flutters a hand in the air, but he doesn’t have an answer. Because he’s selfish. Because he does want to spend the rest of his life at Gabe’s side, joined at the hip and always in one anothers orbit.

“The date went really well.” Gabe’s voice is soft, haunting, “Up until he confessed he was nervous about asking for my number because he thought I was married to you.”

Jack’s heart leaps into his throat. Mostly because that was his literal fantasy, marrying Gabe and running this shop together until they were old and grey.

“Obviously he was wrong.” Jack laughs nervously.

“Yea.” Gabe tilts his head, “But he talked and talked and talked and all I could think about was the last year with you.”

Jack needs air. Jack needs to escape all of a sudden.

“I kept thinking, ‘why would anyone assume that?’” The bag rustles as he steps through the beads and vines. The beads fall shut behind him, “Unless they saw something I didn’t.”

Jack backs into the counter, wood digging at his lower back, and now there’s nowhere to escape.

“Jack.” Gabe grows closer, “Is there something you want to tell me?”

Jack shakes his head, mouth dry and parting on a, “Nope.”

Gabe smells like that sweet, sweet cologne he only wears on special occasions. Like weddings and parties. It’s breathtaking and familiar and reminds Jack of silly dances and that slow, drunk kiss in the back of his mom’s car.

He gets right up in Jack’s space, eyes dark and narrowed, looking so put together and handsome that Jack’s brain and dick are fighting for dominance.

“Is there -.” Gabe begins again, slow and careful, “Something you want to tell me?”

“Gabe. Please.” Jack grapples at the counter, can feel the wood creak under the pressure of his hands, threatening to snap, “Please don’t ask me that.”

“Why not?” Gabe’s voice is low and hypnotic.

“Because I’ve been good.” Jack croaks, “I’ve kept my promise and I’ve never let it get in the way of us being friends.”

The bag of ingredients in Gabe’s hand hits the floor with a loud thump. Then both of Gabe’s hands are cupping the sides of his face and bringing their mouths together in a slow, careful brushing of lips.

Jack’s mouth parts on a whimper and his eyes squeeze shut again. His hands tremble against the edge of the counter.

Gabe tilts his head and brings their lips together again and again. Jack can smell the red wine on his breath and the aftershave on his beard.

“Stop.” Jack sounds wrecked even to his own ears, “Don’t - please don’t do this to me.”

Gabe’s thumbs stroke over his cheek bones, into his hairline, lips nipping at Jack’s bottom one, “Why not?”

“Because I won’t be able to go back.” Jack opens his eyes and stares into Gabriel’s, “Don’t be cruel, Gabe.”

“ _ Cruel _ ?” Gabe growls, “Cruel is you limping into our shop after one of your little one night stands and me knowing I’m not the one who put that hitch in your step.” Gabriel’s mouth twists into a snarl against his own, “Cruel is staring across dinner tables at men that aren’t you. All because you agreed to my stupid, panicked rule when were were 17.”

“You acted like kissing me was wrong!” Jack protests weakly.

“God, Jack.” Gabe’s fingers tighten in his hair, kiss burning and searching before parting with panting breaths, “Kissing you was all I ever wanted to do when we were kids. I thought I was going to lose you. I panicked. I didn’t think you’d agree and I didn’t think you’d torture yourself for so long.”

Jack’s hands finally move, winding around Gabe’s back and dragging them as close as physically possible.

Gabe groans against his mouth, the kiss frantic and consuming. Years and years worth of pent up emotion and frustration bubble over the surface. Jack can barely keep his heart beat under control, but he can feel the angry beat of Gabe’s against his own and finds he doesn’t care.

His hands roam and cup and untuck the shirt from the waist of Gabe’s pants. The skin of Gabe’s back is warm, smooth. Gabe’s vocal’s rumble against his lips at the touch, his own hands skating down Jack’s neck and over the front of his pecs. All the way down to the button on his pants.

Gabe’s fingers set to work and Jack lets out a choked moan, “Wait - we’re -.”

“ _ Years _ , I’ve been waiting to get my hands on you, Jack.” Gabe growls into another kiss, yanking down Jack’s zipper and parting the front of his boxers.

Jack’s hard, deliriously so. His vision goes cross eyed when Gabe pulls his dick free and gives it a slow, careful stroke, “Oh - fuck - fuck -.” He’s too sensitive, too overwhelmed, “Gabe - Gabe slow down for fuck’s sake - I’m going to -.”

Gabe sinks his teeth into Jack’s bottom lip and Jack shouts, chest raw and cock twitching violently, “That’s it, sunshine.” His hand doesn’t stop stroking, cock semen coated and slick as he keep drags Jack through the aftershocks, as his hips convulse and soft, muted whines vibrate between their connected mouths.

Jack slumps against the counter, knees shaking and thighs burning.

Gabe noses at his neck, mouthing a trail to his collarbone and sucking a dark bruise on the pale skin.

Jack feels like he’s dreaming, his head’s all fuzzy and his dick is still throbbing and wet. He can see Gabe pulling back, eyes crinkled at the corners with a smirk. If Jack wasn’t high on the best orgasm of his life, he’d probably say something snarky, instead he mumbles, “Can I suck you off?”

Gabe drags him by the front of his shirt for a kiss, “Show me what that mouth can do.”

Jack’s more than happy to sink to his knees, he wouldn’t have been able to stand for much longer anyway. He purrs as Gabe’s fingers glide and tug through his hair, guiding his head around in a mock-up of what he’ll probably be doing once Jack’s got him down his throat.

Jack makes quick work of Gabe’s dress belt and the fly of his jeans, can smell Gabe’s soap and sweat and the musk of his arousal. He’s hard as rock and hot as Jack pulls his cock carefully through the eye of his underwear.

Gabe hisses, fingers tightening, “Been thinking about this for years. Fuck - Jack -.”

Jack hums and presses his mouth, wet and open, against the side of Gabe’s dick. It causes Gabe’s thighs to shiver and his free hand slaps against the edge of the counter, ensuring he’ll keep his balance.

Jack takes his time. Sucking the sides, dragging his tongue up the underside and swirling it around the tip. He licks up the pre-cum and suckles at the head, enjoying the breathy exhalations of his name on Gabe’s lips. It’s almost as good as his own orgasm.

“We’re going back to your place.” Gabe murmurs, hips thrusting lightly as Jack sucks him all the way down, “And I’m going to spend the rest of the night fucking you. Until you can’t get it up anymore and you’re soft and sensitive and full of my come.”

Jack swallows around Gabe’s cock, earning a strangled hiss and a close encounter with the back of his throat. He whimpers and dives back down for more, making it as wet and sloppy as he can manage.

“Then we’re going to make a hundred pancakes and sit on the floor in your kitchen and eat them all. And I’m going to feed you and tell you how much I love you and then I’m going to fuck you again, still sensitive and leaking, right there on the goddamn floor -  _ Jack _ -.” His cock twitches inside Jack’s mouth.

Jack’s knees shuffle forward and he laps at the head of Gabe’s cock, eager and ready to swallow him down.

Gabe’s hands yank at his scalp and a low, warning hiss falls from his lips as his hips surge forward and come sprays over Jack’s tongue.

Gabe doesn’t even wait to ease through the come down before he’s covering Jack’s mouth with his own. The kiss is messy and uncoordinated, but Jack can feel the emotion behind it, the years of pent up frustration and longing in the way Gabe holds his head and sucks his tongue clean.

And Gabe keeps his promise to fuck Jack clear through the night. Until the sun rises through his apartment window and his ass is swollen and sore and leaking onto his bed sheets.

The smell of cooking batter and the sugar sweet scent of syrup pulls him out of the bed eventually, and Gabe feeds him with sticky fingers and they trade kisses with mouths full of food.

Then Gabe lays him out and sucks him down, fingers tacky against Jack’s thighs, then slick where he’s full of cum and lube.

Jack’s nails scrape uselessly across his floor as Gabe bends him clean in half and fucks him through two dry orgasms. His cock doesn't even get hard and he’s going to need advil and a lot of fucking water afterwards.

But Gabe mouths ‘I love you, I’ve always loved you’ against his mouth and his neck and Jack thinks he could get used to this.

  
  


 

-

  
  


 

Monday mornings at the shop are always busy.

So it’s no surprise that when Jack emerges from his post-run shower, that there’s a line almost to the door.

Gabe is handling each customer with a professional smile and wielding the invoice pen like a pro. Brigitte is showing a couple their trellis of creeping myrtle and Hana is on a ladder watering the hanging potted ivy.

He slides up beside Gabe, “I can take the next order.”

Gabe’s body is warm as it brushes against his own, they work in tandem, in perfect harmony.

Jack’s sore in wonderful places and his body is aching from the run, but his heart is light and his smile is genuine as each customer, even the difficult ones, give him their orders.

No one asks Gabe for his number anymore.

Maybe it’s the way he looks at Jack, burning and open with affection. Or the way Jack looks back at him, warm and hopelessly in love.

Or it might just be the shiny, simple matching golden bands on their fingers.

  
  


 

 

 

 

 

_**End** _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm marking it as complete, but there may be more later.
> 
> Thank you for your continued support, comments, and kudos. You have all been wonderful friends and followers and I'm glad to present this to you after a long drought.


	2. The Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where it all started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first of three different parts to compliment this fic. (This one will have a different feel to it because they're still in high school.)
> 
> The Kiss  
> The Grand Opening  
> The Proposal
> 
>  
> 
> _Enjoy <\i>_

 

 

 

**The Kiss**

 

 

 

Gabe is pretty drunk.

The world is spinning. Round and round, a kaleidoscope of light and music. His tie is - somewhere - no telling where it could be after the prom queen slipped it free and threw it over her shoulder.

The dance is still in full swing and he can’t find Jack anywhere.

Music thumps through his bloodstream in tandem with the copious amount of alcohol someone spiked the punch with. He stumbles through the crowd, vision just shy of blurry and body buzzing like a beehive.

And still he can’t find Jack.

One of the cheerleaders points to the back door of the gymnasium and mimics putting a cigarette to her lips before winking.

Gabe grumbles and pushes against the heavy metal. It clicks and groans as he opens the door, cold night air hitting him in the face like a sucker punch. It damn near knocks him sober.

He takes the steps one at at time, scanning the edge of the brick building before spotting Jack at the far corner near the basketball courts.

Jack is smoking - much to Gabe’s chagrin.  It curls up into the air as he stands under a shitty court light. How the blonde still manages to make a strikingly gorgeous portrait while standing in yellow light is beyond him.

Jack’s shed his tuxedo jacket and all that’s left is a pale blue shirt, the first two buttons undone, and black slacks, one hand tucked into the pocket while the other holds the cig. He’s devastating in a way Gabe is used to and yet not at all. 

“You gotta stop smoking.” Gabe mumbles, dropping his back against the cold brick wall. He probably slurred his words because Jack lifts an eyebrow at him.

“Are you drunk?” There’s amusement in Jack’s tone.

“Oh yea.” Gabe grins goofily up at the stars, “Spiked punch.”

“Figures.” Jack flicks out the ashes and takes another slow drag, “Try not to let my mom figure it out when she picks us up in an hour.”

Gabe scoffs, “I’m an  _ actor _ , Jack.”

“Course you are.” Jack is smirking when Gabe looks over at him again.

They elbow one another, laughter filling the chilly night air. It’s familiar and comforting, having Jack at his side near the end of such a perfect night. They’ll go back to Jack’s bedroom and play video games until well past three am and sleep in till noon and if Gabe’s  _ really _ lucky, he may be able to convince Jack to make him pancakes.

“You look like you were mauled by a lion.” Jack points to his missing tie and lopsided white dress shirt.

Gabe looks down at it with a confused frown, “Prom queen wanted the D.”

“What is it with you and women?” Jack laughs, throaty and beautiful. He stubbs the cigarette out on the brick, “I swear I leave you alone for five minutes and everyone forgets you’re gay.”

“You’re like a deterrent.” Gabe smirks, “My own personal ‘go the fuck away’ sign.”

Jack shakes his head in amusement, then checks his phone for the time, “Still have about thirty minutes before mom gets here. You get to sneak time in with the prom king at least?”

“Oh.” Gabe puts a hand to his chest dramatically, “You mean you didn’t call dibs?”

Jack looks at him funny for a moment, before covering it up with a smile, “Aren’t blondes your type?”

Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes.

But only one blonde in particular.

The one with devastating eyes and a voice that doesn’t match the outer layer and who looks good enough to eat with the pale line of his throat exposed.

Gabe’s so,  _ so _ in love it hurts.

“Dance with me.” Gabe pushes away from the wall with an exaggerated flourish and yanks Jack forward by his arms.

Jack follows him with a lopsided smile and allows his very drunk friend to slow dance with him to the sounds of Lady Gaga blaring inside the gymnasium. Jack smells like sweat and clean linen and deodorant. Gabe wants to bury his face in Jack’s chest and inhale that scent until it puts his drunk ass to sleep.

Instead, he pulls Jack around the dewy grass in jerky movements until the unmistakable two horn honk of Mrs. Morrison brings them out of it.

Jack corralls him into the back of the car and Mrs. Morrison shakes her head at him with a smile.

“Gabriel Reyes are you drunk?”

“No ma’am.” Gabe lies with a slur.

“Someone spiked the punch.” Jack laughs, shoving Gabriel across the seats so he can fit his big frame through the door.

“Ah prom.” She sighs dreamily, “I hope you boys had fun.”

“Tons. Jack even danced with me.” Gabe throws an arm around Jack’s shoulders.

“I saw.” She pulls out into the road, “Let’s get you two home.”

The Morrison family farm is a good ways away from the school. So the ride is long and slow to Gabe’s drunk senses.

Jack is a warm, steady presence at his side. That warmth spreads across his skin like a cozy blanket, making him lethargic and happy. Happier than he’s been in a while, with the stress of picking a college and wondering what the hell they’re going to do with their lives now that school is over.

“Almost home.” Jack mumbles, shaking him.

Gabe didn’t even realize he’d fallen into a doze. He blinks his eyes at Jack, who’s looking at him with this soft, unguarded expression. He’s seen a lot of expressions on Jack’s face. Anger, resentment, joy, frustration. They’ve been friends for so long, Gabe could tell you Jack’s mood with only a two second glance at his face.

But this -

This one is different.

A thumb brushes behind his ear and sends heat soaring across his body like goosebumps.

“I texted dad to get some water out for you.” Jack mutters, “So you’re not hungover in the morning.”

They’ve touched each other a thousand times and it’s never felt quite like this.

“Gabe?” Jack’s adoring gaze flicks to worry, “You okay?”

Gabe has to unstick his tongue from the roof of his mouth, “Yep. Golden.” Except that he’s reevaluating what he thought was one-sided is now possibly returned.

It changes - everything.

And nothing at all.

The car hits a pothole and Jack winces before glancing to the front of the car, where Mrs. Morrison is cursing up a storm about her tires.

Gabe’s chest seizes at the loss of Jack’s attention and his drunk self doesn’t like it one bit. He reaches up with an unsteady hand and yanks Jack’s eyes back to his own using his chin. Jack looks a little startled at first, but he smiles.

“You are  _ so _ drunk.”

“And you are  _ so _ beautiful.” Gabe mumbles.

Jack’s breath hitches visibly and Gabe uses that as an opportunity to drag that plush, pale mouth against his own.

It’s - weird and electric all at once. Jack’s lips are trembling and Gabe soothes it away with a slight tip of his head and a hand around the back of Jack’s neck. From then on it’s a perfect, awkward meeting of lips and teeth and tongue.

Jack’s hands shake as they glide up Gabe’s shirt and curl into the section of open buttons. He returns the kiss with eager, soft sounds.

Gabe fumbles around for Jack’s seatbelt and unclips it, urging the blonde into his lap. Jack comes willingly, mouths never parting and hands moving to cup the sides of Gabe’s neck. It’s even hotter now. The atmosphere charged and Jack warm and solid astride his thighs.

Gabe doesn’t even realize they’ve parked at the house and Jack’s mom has quietly left them alone in the back of the car.

His head is fuzzy and full of nothing but Jack’s taste and scent.

He could spend the rest of his life right here, in the moment if given the choice.

Their mouths part for air and Jack’s eyes are blown, barely blue anymore. His chest rubs against Gabe’s with every breath.

“Uh oh.” Jack whispers, like a secret, like they’ve broken a pact that can’t be undone.

  
  
  


-

  
  
  


Gabe wakes with a splitting headache.

Jack’s curtains are open and the sun is blinding to the point of nausea. He groans and sits up slowly, the world spinning on its axis.

He rubs his hands down his face and glances to the left, where Jack is curled up facing the edge of the bed. 

Every second of the night before comes rushing back with alarmly clarity. The dance, the spiked punch, Jack smoking outside, the dance - the kiss.

Oh fucking hell,  _ the kiss _ .

And then the kiss after that as Jack helped him change out of his prom clothes and into a pair of pj pants. Then the kiss once they were nestled under the covers, slow and fathomless and needy. And then the burning urge to spread Jack out and show him everything Gabe’s been fantasizing about since he knew what his dick was for.

So many shattering mistakes in one night.

It’s going to ruin everything.

It’s going to alter their relationship in a way Gabe isn’t ready for. He doesn’t think he’ll ever be ready or worthy enough to have Jack as more than a friend.

Why couldn’t he be happy with what he was given?

Why did Jack have to look at him like that?

Gabe puts his face in his hands and bends over his crossed legs, trying to piece together some semblance of a plan to get out of this mess without sacrificing their friendship.

“You okay?” Jack’s voice is rough with sleep, his hand is warm at the base of Gabe’s back, “I can go get some meds if you need them.”

Gabe shakes his head from behind his hands.

“Ah.” Jack mutters.

Jack is smart. Jack knows exactly what has Gabe messed up.

“We need to forget last night.” Gabe croaks, rubbing at his eyes and dragging his fingers down his cheeks, “I shouldn’t have -.”

“Look at me.” Jack insists.

Gabe does so slowly, turning his head to face Jack.

Jack who has a pillow crease on his cheek and this lost, broken look in his eyes.

“Is that what you want?”

No.  _ No _ .

But it has to be, because Gabe isn’t ready to face with it means.

“We’re better as friends, Jack.” Gabe mutters, “Just friends. Anything else will ruin us and you’re too good a thing in my life to fuck it up with sex.”

Jack swallows and looks down at his sheets. He’s quiet for too long and Gabe almost takes it back. He never wants Jack to look like this, confused and resigned.

“Okay.” His hand slips away from Gabe’s lower back and it’s cold. Cold without Jack’s warmth, cold without Jack, “Just friends.”

The bed creaks as Jack rises, feet scuffling across the floor as he disappears into his bathroom. Gabe watches him go, heart twisting in agony.

He wants nothing more than to drag Jack back into this bed and kiss him for the rest of the morning. Explore the curves of his body and find out what he sounds like gasping Gabe’s name in the throes of pleasure.

But he slams the door on that thought. Locks it up tight.

“I’m going to start mixing the pancake batter.” Gabe stands up from the bed and looks around the floor of the room for a shirt to wear.

“Oh thank god, I’m starving.” Jack sounds semi-normal through the door of the bathroom.

Gabe smiles sadly at the door between them.

He can do this.

He can spend the rest of his life loving Jack with a door between them, just like this one. He can watch that door crack with age and the wood hold the weight of vines as they grow strong enough to keep it shut forever.

Gabe can scream at it, demand that the ivy open for him.

But it never will.

Not if he’s the one still watering it.

  
  


 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You ever kiss your best friend and then have a panic attack because it could ruin everything you built together???
> 
> Yea.


	3. The Grand Opening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole fic is nothing but a soft, silly self indulgence.
> 
> I love pining idiots in love, don't you?

 

 

**The Grand Opening**

 

 

 

 

 

“We’re really doing this.” Jack’s fingers tremble over the inked contract laid out on the table in front of him, “This is happening.”

His signature is at the bottom of the first page, fine line cursive and a hesitation mark at the beginning of the J. He never thought he’d see it in fine print. This was all just a dream scribbled into a purple college ruled notebook he found under his bed.

Now it’s a reality.

And so, apparently, are the elegant lines of Gabriel’s name.

Jack looks to his right, where Gabe is flipping through another set of documents with their names on them. He doesn’t look like he’s made a mistake, doing this with Jack, but he also doesn’t look ecstatic.

The agent is twiddling her thumbs across from them, bottom lip caught in her teeth.

“Something you want to say?” Gabe asks over the top of a flipped page.

She lets out a burst of air, “I really must reiterate the repercussions of co-owning a building and not being married.”

Jack frowns, “We co-own the business, ma’am.” He points a finger at the signed papers, “The building should be in both of our names as well.”

“Yes -.” She begins, “But the building loan is something like a house loan, instead of a business loan. The separation won’t be like the business itself.”

“She thinks we’re going to stop being friends and fight over who gets the building and the business.” Gabe sends Jack a smirk.

“It’s a reasonable precaution, Gabe.” Jack elbows him with a sterner frown.

“Look,” Gabe sets the papers down, “If we do for some  _ unknown fucking reason _ \- stop being friends.” Jack has to physically restrain himself from laughing at that condescending tone, “Then I’ll sign all rights over to Jack? Yea? Want that in writing?”

She stands up swiftly, “For the record, if you please.”

Gabe waves his fingers in a come hither motion, “Bring it on. I want to see the inside of the shop already.”

The agent shuffles out of the room and the door clicks shut behind her, leaving them alone in the posh meeting room.

Jack runs his fingers over his signature again, then brushes a thumb over Gabe’s. He can feel the imprint of the pen.

“Not having second thoughts are you?” Gabe lowers his head to drag Jack’s gaze up to meet his, “Cuz I already signed.”

Jack shakes his head, “No. Just - thank you. For doing this with me.”

His heart does a little flip when Gabe smiles, “You would have done the same thing for me if I’d come up with this first.”

It’s the truth. Gabe could have asked Jack to open an entire store full of only strings and he’d still sign the papers.

“Know what you want to name it yet?” Gabe asks, crossing his arms on the table.

Jack groans and tips his head back, “No.”

“You’ve got time.” Gabe shrugs, “Let’s go scope the place out first and then we can brainstorm names.”

“Sounds good.” Jack gives a firm nod and the door opens to the real estate agent once more.

She takes a seat and pushes a slip of paper across the table towards Gabriel, who pulls it forward with one condescending finger. He clicks the pen sarcastically and the agent’s mouth twitches.

Jack tries not to laugh again.

Gabe spins the signed sheet back to the agent and she sets the keys to the shop in the center of the table with the last of the paperwork, “Good luck to your business.”

Jack can’t stop the grin as he reaches over to pick up the key.

It was finally happening.

  
  
  


-

  
  


They still have a long way to go before the shop can open. There are vendors to arrange deliveries with and a bank account for the management of the business and of course - a name.

So many ends that need to be tied up and Jack honestly doesn’t know what he’d do without Gabriel.

They both quit their other jobs. Although Jack told Gabe not to bother, he didn’t listen. ‘ _ It’ll work better with two _ ’.

So they spend long days and even longer nights and weekends, getting the shop ready. It takes paint and drainage redirecting, a carpenter to come in and build the proper shelves needed to hold vines.

Jack pours through catalogues for furniture, desks, potting soils, and the best decorative pots. Then, on monday mornings, they drive out to the flower markets and browse through the different vendors, looking for a good partnership.

They find four on a tuesday, Jack signs the paperwork with them, stomach twisting with excitement.

On the way home, Gabriel drives, his grin matching Jack’s own, “Getting closer.”

Jack rests his head on the seat behind him, “We should start advertising.” He glances over at Gabe, both hands on the wheel, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, “Maybe even offering discounted wedding arrangements to get some foot traffic?”

Gabe nods slowly, “Olivia should have our site up and running by the end of the week. I can have her add the offers.”

Jack lets out a happy sigh, “That sounds great.”

“I say -.” Gabe starts, “That we get some booze and go to your place and start brainstorming some names and brochure offers.”

“Is getting drunk and planning out our shop  _ really _ a good idea?” Jack smirks over at him.

Gabe sends him a sly look, “Are you  _ really _ going to turn down beer?”

Jack scoffs, “No.” He waves a hand in the air, “Go for it.”

  
  


-

  
  
  


It’s late afternoon before they slip through the front door of Jack’s apartment. Both of their hands are laden with bags, some with beer, others with milk and eggs and pancake mixture and fresh fruit.

Gabe’s got his phone up to his ear, held only by his shoulder as he talks to Olivia about the final design for the website.

Jack takes the bags gingerly from Gabe’s hands and warms under the grateful smile it awards him.

He puts the groceries away, leaving two beers out on the counter while Gabe putters around behind him. It’s a familiar routine. They’ve been at each others houses on saturday afternoons for as long as Jack can remember.

They drink, watch TV, talk about their weeks and their dates and their families. Then, bright and early Sunday morning, Jack makes from-scratch pancakes. It was the perfect way to restart a new week. Jack doesn’t know what he’d do if they ever stopped.

Though, he knows it won’t be forever.

He hands Gabe a beer as he passes through the kitchen, still chatting on the phone and telling Olivia he’s on his way to the laptop to look at the site.

Jack’s throat tightens.

One day Gabe won’t be here every saturday. One day, he’ll be home with someone else, doing this exact same thing.

Just not with Jack.

His hand tightens around the beer can and he takes a quick swig to try and dislodge the anguish caught in the back of his throat.

It’s stupid and it’s foolish to worry about something that hasn’t happened yet. They’re still young, still searching for that special someone.

Unfortunately for Jack, Gabe  _ is _ that special someone.

Jack thought he had zero chances to kiss his best friend and then he had dozens of them from the time Gabe kissed him in his mom’s car, till they fell asleep in Jack’s bed.

Every kiss had increased his chances of  _ finally _ asking Gabe to be with him and then -

And then Gabe made him swear never to bring it up again.

Jack rubs at his chest, the ache familiar and deep.

“Are you coming or what?” Gabe calls out from his spot on the couch.

Jack grabs another two beers and joins him.

Their knees brush as Jack sits next to him on the couch, cross-legged and reaching out to set the beers on the coffee table.

Gabe has a notebook in his lap, pen at the ready and chugging his beer with his free hand. His phone is on the table, time reading 6:15 and a picture of him and Jack on their last ski trip smiling up at him on the screen.

“So. Shop names.” Gabe wiggles the pen in Jack’s direction.

Jack hums, swirling the beer around in his can, “I was thinking something to do with vines? Greenery is what we plan on working with, right?”

“Yea. So. Succulent -.” Gabe writes that down, “Something something.”

Jack snorts, “Creative.”

“You’re the florist mastermind, Jackie.” Gabe grins at him, “I’m here to make sure the whole thing doesn’t fall apart.”

“Ha ha.” Jack sneers, “ _ You’re _ the decorator. The costume mastermind.” He waves his hands jovily in the air, “This is your job.”

Gabe rolls his eyes and taps the pen against the word ‘succulent’, “Maybe something from our childhood? I mean. We  _ did _ grow up here.” He draws a few loops around the word, doodles in a few leaves, “There used to be these stupid thick vines on that trellis against your house -” He pauses, “And they got thicker every year until your dad finally cut the damn thing down.”

“Well yea.” Jack laughs, “They started growing through my window.”

“Smelt good though.” Gabe says, “Made your room smell like honeysuckle all the goddamn time.”

“Got you in my house at two am, didn’t it?” Jack watches the pen dance into a makeshift flower.

“Without fail.” Gabe mutters softly.

He firms the pen in his grip and with looping, intricate cursive, writes ‘Honeysuckle and Ivy’ under the vine drawing.

Jack’s heart squeezes, “Think so?”

“It’s perfect.” Gabe replies.

  
  


-

  
  


Jack lets Gabe borrow some night clothes and tucks him onto the couch with spare blankets and pillows piled high. The notebook rests, still open, on the table and Jack runs his fingers over the raised letters of their little shops name.

He goes to bed alone.

He slides his hands over his stomach and grips himself, making the movements silent and quick lest Gabe wake up for any reason.

He thinks of Gabe’s soft smile and his words and the burning, foolish kisses from their youth. He muffles his best friends name into the palm of his hand as he comes, sticky and euphoric, all over his belly.

And he hates himself for not keeping his end of the promise.

  
  


-

  
  


Opening day is a bustling, brutal affair.

They take on order after order, listen to gushing reviews and congratulations and good lucks from all their family and friends.

It’s a buzzing, beautiful success.

“We should hire help.” Gabe suggests as Jack groans and presses his sticky forehead to the counter.

It’s piled high with orders they’ll spend most of the next morning putting together. He needs a shower, a really big meal, maybe a glass of wine if he’s feeling bold.

But there’s a sense of satisfaction in his bones and when he lifts his head to look at Gabriel across the counter, he sees it in the lines of that familiar face.

“Day one.” Gabe grins, “In the bag.”

Jack pumps a fist in the air weakly.

“But seriously. We should hire help if we’re going to be this busy on the regular.” Gabe says, “I’ll ask around.”

“Maybe Rein’s daughter is up for some labor?” Jack offers, “I hear she’s handy with tools.”

“Ask him.” Gabe snaps his fingers, “Wanna get dinner?”

“Not really sure I can move.” Jack laughs.

“Sure you can.” Gabe skirts around the counters edge and gathers Jack’s wrists in his own hands. He yanks Jack up and forward, but Jack’s legs, weak from being upright for the last ten hours, give out.

They both laugh as Jack crashes into him, Gabe stumbling a little under Jack’s bulk.

Gabe’s warm and smells like the shop, the greenery, the sweat from working all day. His arms loosen and hang around Jack’s waist and they stand there, in the light of the front room, swaying.

Something that would be so,  _ so _ innocent if Jack wasn’t terribly in love.

It’s too intimate. It’s too  _ much _ \- 

Jack closes his eyes and soaks up the moment for as long as he can.

“Thanks for letting me do this with you.” Gabe mumbles.

“Who else would I do it with?” Jack grunts, “You’re the only person I can stand to be around in such large doses.”

“Oh.” Gabe gasps dramatically, “I’m honored.”

Jack pinches his side and slumps all his weight forward.

“Whoa!” Gabe laughs, “God, you weigh a ton.”

“If you worked out more, you’d be able to hold me up.” Jack teases.

“I’ll leave the jogging and the weight lifting to your obsessive ass.” Gabe shoves him away playfully, “Let’s go get something to eat, I’m  _ starving _ and we have to be back here at three am to get this shit in order.”

“Fine. Fine.” Jack reaches behind the counter and grabs his keys, “But I get to pick the place.”

“What - no!” Gabe groans.

Jack leads him out of the store. When they’re both out, he flips the sign around around locks it up.

He turns around and Gabe has his hands in his pockets, with his face turned up to the sky.

Or more accurately, their sign.

Jack joins him, eyes roaming up the length of their windows, to the cursive sign in green and white.

_ Honeysuckle and Ivy _ _   
_ _ Floral greenery for any occasion  _

“Looks perfect,” Gabe mutters, “Doesn’t it.”

Jack flicks his eyes back down to stare at Gabe’s face. The outline of it soft in the waning sunlight.

“Yea.” Jack whispers, “It sure does.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The proposal will be the last chapter. It's gonna be so gross I hope you're ready.
> 
> Thank you for all the support, comments, and kudos!


	4. The Proposal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for being so patient.
> 
>  
> 
> _Enjoy_

 

 

 

 

**The** **Proposal**

 

 

 

 

 

If there’s one thing Gabriel knows for certain; it’s that Jack makes the most gorgeous sounds during sex.

Gabe always knew he would. 

He’s spent the better part of his life getting off to the memory of Jack kissing him under a weighty bedspread. Strong hands gripping his arms, his face. The smell of the last cigarette Jack smoked. The slick parting of mouths and the breathy murmurs of Gabe’s name. That high pitched hitch in his breathing when Gabe’s fingers skirted the waistline of his pajama pants. The tightening of grips and an urgent, sloppy kiss that sent Gabe’s blood singing south.

He never thought he’d get to hear any of those sounds again.

“ _ Hn  _ \- Gabe - .”

Until now.

Jack’s back is slick with sweat, thick arms holding tight to a pillow under his chest, face turned to face the window and scrunched up with pleasure. His bottom lip is puffy from a rather enthusiastic bite during their earlier make-out session. He’s stretched wide around Gabe’s cock, while Gabe’s hands grip the damp skin of his hips and his knees keep Jack’s thighs spread.

Jack’s already come once, the evidence a wet mess on their sheets.

It’s not frantic or rushed.

They have all the time in the world.

“Gabe, please.” Jack gasps, hips twitching back to try and speed up Gabe’s leisurely pace.

Gabe grins and glides a hand up the curve of Jack’s spine, “Just enjoy the ride, sunshine.”

Jack lets out a gravel-thick groan as the line of his shoulders sink into the pillow. His flushed skin is luminous in the early morning pinks and oranges that filter in through their curtains. 

It’s barely sunrise and they  _ never _ get to do this.

Not the slow rise to wakefulness without a shrill alarm clock reminding them of Jack’s morning run. Not the hushed, soft ‘good mornings’ and stale kisses. Not the careful, agonizing pleasure of opening Jack up with his fingers and watching that big body arch and stretch and beg.

So yea, Gabe’s going to fuck Jack nice and slow this morning.

When they don’t have to be up early to open the shop, because Hana is a doll.

When Gabe spent the last month meticulously planning this out.

He wants Jack to remember this for the rest of the day. Up until Gabe does it  _ again _ at the end.

“So good.” Jack grunts through a slow pump of Gabe’s hips.

Gabe can see his fingers tear at the edges of the pillow, knees trembling and cock bouncing back and forth between his legs. His chest expands with every thrust and Gabe can feel the frantic beat of his heart under the palm of his hand.

“Yea?” Gabe asks, stroking his thumb over the back of Jack’s neck.

“Always good.” Jack replies. He sounds half-drunk and the tone trembles. He’s close again.

Gabe slips the hand on Jack’s back around to his chest, tugging at a nipple. It gains him a sharp hiss and a tight clench around his dick. He hums in pleasure, mouthing along Jack’s spine and tasting soap and sweat.

The burn in his own abdomen is bright and tempting. Every slick, fluid stroke burns up his spine and he doesn’t know if he wants to come inside Jack and eat him out after or come over the flushed red rise of his ass.

All things he dreamed about.

All things he’s gotten more than once in the past few months.

All things Jack’s given him willingly.

He drags his hand over Jack’s chest and down his belly, fingers brushing over golden hair. When he reaches the straining cock bouncing between Jack’s legs, his mouth waters.

Jack is  _ wet _ .

Gabe groans openly, fingering the tip of Jack’s dick and loving the sticky mix of his first orgasm and pre-cum.

Jack shakes under him, “Oh  _ fuck _ \- I’m -.”

“Close?” Gabe drags his mouth up to Jack’s ear, hips continuously pumping and fingers dancing along Jack’s cock, “Are you going to come for me  _ again _ , Jack?”

“Yesyesyesyes-.” Jack’s voice is thick and his biceps strain as Gabe wraps a fist around his cock, “God -  _ yes fuck - Gabe _ .”

Gabe can  _ feel  _ him come. It pools over his fingers on the upstroke and causes Jack’s entire body to quake beneath him. 

Every single part of Jack’s body goes tight and Gabe gasps against his neck.

“ _ Jack _ \-  _ fuck _ -.” He sinks his teeth into whatever skin is in front of him and rides out the slow, burning tidal wave of his own orgasm.

His vision is edged in white as he comes down.

Jack has all but collapsed into the mattress, the rise and fall of his chest a hard reminder that Gabe is probably crushing him.

Gabe manages to pull his hand out from under Jack and it’s sticky with fluid.

He sits up slow, cock still buried inside and throbbing with the intensity of the orgasm. He pats Jack’s ass with his messy hand and the blonde makes a disgusted grunt.

“Really?” Jack’s voice is muffled by the pillow.

Gabe smirks for only a second. When he pulls his cock free of Jack’s ass, semen follows and the cold air makes him hiss.

He spreads Jack’s ass with his thumbs, throat working on a swallow. God, it’s red and puffy and filled with Gabe’s come.

His thumb strokes over the wet entrance and Jack jerks, head coming up.

“No - No I’m too -.”

Gabe hums and puts his mouth to work.

Jack makes an unholy sound high in his throat and his ass clenches around Gabe’s tongue.

His hand finds Jack’s cock, half-soft and absolutely filthy with two orgasms.

Gabe loves this part.

He strokes the swollen glans and curls his fingers around it. It kicks weakly in his fist, liquid oozing and trying fruitlessly to get hard again.

Gabe cleans Jack out, mouth sloppy and tongue rough and making damn sure Jack’s a writhing, oversensitive mess.

Judging by the muffled screams, he’s doing his job right.

Gabe wishes he could stretch it out all day, but eventually he deems Jack’s clean and pulls away completely.

Jack looks a sight in their sheets. Entire body bright red, sweaty, shivering.

Gabe can’t believe he’s missed out on this for so long. How much time he wasted, looking at Jack from afar, like a coward, and wondering what might have been.

If he’d woken up that morning and kissed Jack awake instead of panicking.

“You okay?” Gabe asks quietly, gently pulling each of Jack’s legs out from under him and massaging the tense muscles.

Jack lets out a wheezy huff, “I love you.”

Gabe’s throat tightens and he squeezes Jack’s thigh once, twice, before moving to lay down alongside him.

Jack’s baby blues crack open and so does Gabe’s heart.

He grins and moves a strand of sweaty blonde hair out of Jack’s eyes, “I love you, too.”

Jack shares a smile with him, breathing finally mellowing out as he shifts around to get out of his own mess, “What’s the occasion?”

“Can’t I give you a good fucking on our morning off?” Gabe asks, offended.

“Ha.” Jack laughs, “I don’t know if I can stand up to shower.” He frowns, “Or go on my run.”

Gabe smirks, “I’ll help you with one, but you’ll have to postpone the other till tomorrow.”

Jack sends him a look, “And whose fault is that?”

Gabe only laughs and climbs out of bed. He grabs them some underwear and gets the shower running hot before he goes back to retrieve Jack.

Jack has managed to get himself to a sitting position, but not much else. He huffs and puffs as Gabe half-carries him into the bathroom, but doesn’t protest in the slightest when the shower comes with gratuitous hair and body washing.

Gabe is rinsing the suds from Jack’s hair when he finds the blonde looking at him intently, “You going to tell me what you have planned today?”

“Nope.” Gabe replies.

Because today is special.

Today - Gabriel is going to propose.

  
  


-

  
  


Jack still manages to go on his run with the promise of bringing breakfast to the shop and a quick kiss. So, gone are Gabriel’s initial plans to woo him with sticky pancake kisses.

Instead, he bundles up against the late winter chill and heads across town to the shop.

Hana and Brigitte are handling the steady flow of customers beautifully when he arrives. Which means he gets to take advantage of Jack’s absence and sneak to the back to pick out the perfect flower arrangements for the proposal dinner.

He hides them in the back of the cooler and Hana grins knowingly as she slips in to grab an ordered arrangement.

“Big day?”

Gabe clears his throat and uses the big leaves of a banana sprout to hide his bouquet, “You know it is.”

“Don’t know why you’re so nervous.” She picks up the heaping monster of a grapevine and lifts an eyebrow, “It’s not like he’s going to say  _ no _ .”

Gabe frowns, “He could.”

Hana rolls her eyes, “Oh yea. Sure. Over a lifetime of pining and the love of your life is going to say ‘oh gee Gabe, I don’t want to marry you’.”

“Shut up.” Gabe mumbles.

Her laughter echoes in the backroom even as she disappears through the dividing wisteria curtain.

Gabe closes the flower cooler just as Jack breezes in through the back door. He’s juggling three white boxes and a tray with four coffees. He must have gone home to change after his run, because he’s wrapped up in the pale blue sweater McCree gave him at their Friendmas dinner last weekend.

His cheeks are red from the wind and his face breaks into a smile when he spots Gabe, “Breakfast.”

Gabe walks forward and takes the boxes out of Jack’s hands, “Not  _ just _ doughnuts, I hope.”

Jack rolls his eyes, “Yea. Yea. Your cinnamon twists are in there.”

“You are the  _ best _ .” Gabe drags Jack down into a kiss.

Jack hums into it, mouth moving as if his starving. As though they didn’t just make out in the shower a few hours ago.

When they part, Jack is wearing another smile. Softer, a little dopier.

“Can you two stop sucking face long enough to bring us food?” Hana groans, hands parting the curtain, “We opened the shop out of the  _ goodness _ of our hearts and you’re keeping breakfast from us.”

Jack’s laughter is rough as he moves around Gabe and hands Hana one of the boxes, “Brigitte’s strawberry stuffers are in there too.”

“Ah Jack - thank you!” Brigitte calls from further up in the store.

Hana snatches the boxes up with greedy hands and the curtain falls back into place. Brigitte comes in the back a few minutes later to grab their coffees from Jack’s tray.

They eat their breakfast in between flower arrangements. Jack’s little radio hums old Christmas music in the background, the low sounds of Frank Sinatra welcome in the still space between them. Their elbows brush as they work. It smells like fresh dirt and lingering coffee and sweet, sticky doughnuts.

Hana and Brigitte filter back and forth, sometimes with orders, sometimes to grab a snack from the fridge.

Gabe’s never felt so at peace as he does in this moment.

His fingers pat at the bottom of a camellia, ensuring the tree doesn’t come loose during transport. They have three other orders just like this one - all heading to the local seniors center for family day. Jack’s mom had put in the order during Sunday dinner.

Beside him, Jack hefts a colorful terracotta pot of hydrangeas for a Saturday wedding off the table and heads for the cooler.

He’s long since yanked the sleeves of his sweater up to his elbows and he looks so at ease with his work. With  _ their _ work.

This whole messy, exhausting, wonderful business was the result of their friendship. Of both of them being hopelessly in love and deciding that if they couldn’t have each other - they could at least have this.

Gabe gives himself a split second to wonder where they would both be if Gabe hadn’t helped Jack with his dream.

If they’d both gone their separate ways career-wise.

Would they be together?

Would they have ever said anything at all?

Gabe can’t imagine going without Jack like this.

“Jack?” He curls his fingers into the dirt, heart rising into his throat.

Jack hums out a distracted reply, clearly concentrating on carrying the heavy pot of flowers across the room.

And even though Gabe has an entire evening planned with flowers and dinner and music. Even though he’s been planning it for weeks. Even though  _ everyone _ pitched in to help him plan it without Jack being none the wiser -

Gabe can’t wait that long.

Because right now, with the scent of their work all around them and soft music playing and Jack looking so utterly and completely happy - Gabe isn’t able to stop himself.

“Marry me.”

Jack’s steps falter and the bottom of the pot hits the edge of a table. It tumbles out of Jack’s arms and shatters against the concrete floor.

Jack whirls around, eyes wide, “What?”

Gabe clears his throat and swallows, “Marry - me.”

Jack looks down at the mess of dirt and flowers, then back up at Gabe. He looks lost. He looks -  _ undecided _ and a fist wraps around Gabe’s heart and squeezes, anxiety spiking because - for fucks sake couldn’t he just wait -

Jack puts his face in his hands.

“Fuck.” Gabe pulls his hands from the dirt of his plant and rounds the table, “I’m sorry. It’s too soon to ask -.”

His shoes shuffle through the dirt as he reaches Jack.

Jack drops his hands and Gabe is met with a fierce, watery gaze, “Too  _ soon _ ?” Jack hisses.

Gabe falters, hands outstretched, “Uh -.”

“You  _ asshole _ -.” Jack punches him in the shoulder, “Look at my hydrangeas!” He waves down at the broken pot and wilted plant.

Gabe frowns.

Jack steps over the ruined arrangement, gathers Gabe’s face in his hands and slots their mouths together.

Gabe makes an unmanly sound and melts into it, hands grasping at Jack’s brand new sweater and smearing it with potting soil. Jack crowds him up against the table, mouth slick and tongue hot and moaning into the kiss.

Gabe goes from zero to hard in a matter of seconds and drags Jack’s hips against his own.

Jack gasps, mouth parting and dragging up Gabe’s jawline, “ _ Yes _ .”

Gabe’s brain is foggy and at first he thinks the word means ‘more of the grinding please’. He’s going to come in his pants at this rate.

But Jack keeps muttering, “Yes.  _ Yes _ .” Over and over and Gabe’s brain finally catches up that it’s a  _ response _ to his shitty, spur of the moment, emotion driven proposal.

“Thank fucking god.” Gabe growls.

“Do you have a ring?” Jack asks breathlessly, hands dragging over every inch of Gabe he can reach.

“Yea - yea.” Gabe manages to maneuver them in the direction of the cooler. They nearly trip over the broken pot in the middle of the floor and it takes him three tries to pry open the cooler door.

Gabe digs around behind the banana tree leaves to get the hidden bouquet. Jack mouths fervently at his neck, hands sliding up his shirt.

“It’s beautiful.” Jack’s voice is gravel thick and doing horrible things to Gabe’s self control.

“I had a whole evening planned.” Gabe croaks, fingers delving into the pretty flowers and finding where he hid the matching golden bands.

He plucks them out with a flourish and Jack spins him around.

Gabe’s hands shake as he puts the ring on Jack’s finger and allows Jack to do the same for him. Both rings shimmer in the dim light. Jack threads their fingers together, throat working around a swallow as his eyes meet Gabe’s.

The next kiss is slow and sweet.

This time, he crowds Jack up against a rack of tulips. Their hands never disconnect and Jack’s body rolls and arches against his own.

He’s three seconds from grabbing Jack by the back of his thighs and fucking him right there in the cooler. He can feel Jack yielding under him - and it would be so easy to take him apart right here.

But - they have a shop to run.

They break from the kiss, breath foggy in the cold air.

Jack lets out a low, sensuous laugh, “No celebratory engagement sex?”

Gabe drops his head against Jack’s with a groan, “We’re at work.”

“So?” Jack’s teeth play with his ear lobe, thighs parting to fit Gabe between them, “It’s  _ our _ shop.”

It’s tempting. So goddamn tempting.

“I had the whole evening planned out.” Gabe murmurs petulantly, “Fancy restaurant. Down on one knee bullshit.”

“We can still do that.” Jack’s hands play with the hair at the base of his neck, he sounds deliriously happy.

Gabe smiles, “Nah.” He runs his thumb over the ring on Jack’s finger, “I like this better. I kind of want to take you home.”

“Now?” Jack’s voice goes real low and it sends a shiver down Gabe’s spine.

Gabe groans and presses their mouths together again.

Jack’s nails scrape across his neck.

“No.” Gabe murmurs against his lips, “I want you to wait. Play with the ring. Show it off. Let everyone know you’re going to be mine.” He can feel Jack shivering against him, body tensing with anticipation.

“ _ Then _ you’ll take me home?” Jack whispers.

“Then I’ll take you home.” Gabe agrees.

Jack steals one more kiss, sweet and slow and burning at the base of Gabe’s belly. Then he extracts himself from Gabe’s arms, grabs a broom and dustpan and makes Gabe clean up the broken pot.

He disappears through the curtain to go - hopefully - find another hydrangea big enough to make up for the lost cause Gabe is currently having to throw away.

Hana pokes her head through the curtain, “Stellar self control, Gabe.” She gives him a condescending ‘ok’ finger symbol.

Gabe flips her off and dumps the remaining dirt into the trash can.

Jack pushes her out of the way when he returns with a bright pink replacement.

“Also - I told you he’d say yes!”

Jack sends him a curious look as she disappears once more, “You thought I’d say no?”

Gabe shrugs uselessly, “I was nervous.”

Jack sets the hydrangea on the table, “I’ve been dreaming of marrying you since we were eleven.”

“Really?” Gabe can feel his face growing hot, “That long?”

Jack hums out a ‘yes’ and goes in search of a replacement pot. He finds one and starts to re-pot the plant.

Gabe leans into the table, eyes trained on the shiny metal around Jack’s finger as he works. His heart shivers.

“When do you want the wedding to be?” He asks quietly, easing into Jack’s space.

Jack just smiles, pressing the potting soil firm around the roots of the plant, “I was thinking spring.”

“This spring?” Gabe asks, heart soaring.

Jack sends that breathtaking smile his way, “Yes. This spring.” His hands retreat from the pot, dirt never once marring the perfect shine of his new engagement band, and closes over Gabe’s own, “When the honeysuckles are in bloom.”

Gabe inhales sharply, fingers folding in between Jack’s.

He can picture it.

A few months from now - when winter is over and spring breezes in through the city. Cool weather and their family and friends scattered out in chairs in the wildflower field behind Jack’s family farm.

There will be flowers of every color and shape and size and -

And Jack - waiting for him at the altar - in a white tux.

Under a trellis blooming with honeysuckle and ivy.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_The End_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your continued support, comments, and kudos. You're all amazing and wonderful and I would never have made it this far without you.
> 
>  
> 
> Come hang out with me on [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/gabrielsthighz)


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